Chime Communications chair Lord Bell told PRWeek he was ‘handling media enquiries and facilitating media relationships' for the Litvinenko family on a pro bono basis, adding: ‘We are not involved in influencing the content of coverage, other than arranging the photographs [of Alexander] in hospital.'

Champollion - whose MD is Simon Buckby - has been handling media calls for Chechen separatist Ahmed Zakayev as part of a retained relationship with the Chechnya Peace Forum that began in August.

PR advisers retained by the Kremlin include Ketchum, Portland PR and Brussels-based lobbyist GPlus, hired earlier this year to advise on media during Russia's G8 presidency.

Portland MD Tim Allan played down Portland's involvement in advising the Kremlin on the Litvinenko front, saying only that it continues to work on ‘G8-related matters'.